Beyond Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation covers medical treatment and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault, but it does not compensate for pain and suffering and it generally bars claims against your employer. For a catastrophic injury, that coverage is rarely adequate.
What it does not bar is a claim against a third party. If defective equipment caused the injury, the manufacturer may be liable. If a subcontractor created the hazard, that company may be. If the injury occurred while driving for work, the at-fault driver and their insurer remain fully exposed.
Coordinating Both Claims
These matters run alongside the compensation claim and require coordination, particularly around the carrier's lien against any third-party recovery. Handled poorly, a settlement can be substantially consumed by that lien.
We work through the lien alongside the underlying claim rather than treating it as an afterthought at settlement, which is what determines how much of a recovery a client actually keeps.
